Lying Behaviour in Dairy Goats: Effects of a New Automated Feeding System Assessed by Accelerometer Technology
The aim of this study was to evaluate lying behaviour in dairy goats before and after installation of an optimized automatic concentrated feeding system (AFS). A mixed-horned herd of Bunte Deutsche Edelziege was used. As many agonistic interactions between goats happen at the feeding place, a new au...
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/8/2370 |
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| author | Ines Maurmann Bianca A. E. Greiner Stanislaus von Korn Maren Bernau |
| author_facet | Ines Maurmann Bianca A. E. Greiner Stanislaus von Korn Maren Bernau |
| author_sort | Ines Maurmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The aim of this study was to evaluate lying behaviour in dairy goats before and after installation of an optimized automatic concentrated feeding system (AFS). A mixed-horned herd of Bunte Deutsche Edelziege was used. As many agonistic interactions between goats happen at the feeding place, a new automated feeding system was installed to better fulfil the needs of horned goats. Lying behaviour is an indicator to ascertain animal welfare of ruminants. In order to measure lying behaviour accelerometer technology was used and verified by video analyses. The results show an agreement of 99.62–99.93% per lying time by comparing accelerometers to video data. Over all goats, a mean ± SD lying time (LT) of 11.78 ± 1.47 h/d, a mean ± SD lying bout duration (LBD) of 0.51 ± 0.10 h/bout and a mean ± SD frequency of lying bouts (FLB) of 24.35 ± 5.57 were found. Lying behaviour follows a seasonal progression with significant lowest LBD and highest FLB in summer. With the old AFS significant differences in LBD and FLB were detected between horned and hornless goats, but with the new AFS results were adjusted. Findings suggest that changes in feeding management do not affect the general seasonal progression of lying behaviour but can affect the behavioural differences between horned and hornless dairy goats. |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a46783b192844f95b9bf8d1157fa1a10 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:04:31Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-a46783b192844f95b9bf8d1157fa1a102023-11-22T06:31:10ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-08-01118237010.3390/ani11082370Lying Behaviour in Dairy Goats: Effects of a New Automated Feeding System Assessed by Accelerometer TechnologyInes Maurmann0Bianca A. E. Greiner1Stanislaus von Korn2Maren Bernau3Fakultät Agrarwirtschaft, Volkswirtschaft und Management, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen, Neckarsteige 6–10, 72622 Nürtingen, GermanyInstitut für Angewandte Agrarforschung, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen, Hechinger Straße 12, 72622 Nürtingen, GermanyInstitut für Angewandte Agrarforschung, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen, Hechinger Straße 12, 72622 Nürtingen, GermanyFakultät Agrarwirtschaft, Volkswirtschaft und Management, Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen, Neckarsteige 6–10, 72622 Nürtingen, GermanyThe aim of this study was to evaluate lying behaviour in dairy goats before and after installation of an optimized automatic concentrated feeding system (AFS). A mixed-horned herd of Bunte Deutsche Edelziege was used. As many agonistic interactions between goats happen at the feeding place, a new automated feeding system was installed to better fulfil the needs of horned goats. Lying behaviour is an indicator to ascertain animal welfare of ruminants. In order to measure lying behaviour accelerometer technology was used and verified by video analyses. The results show an agreement of 99.62–99.93% per lying time by comparing accelerometers to video data. Over all goats, a mean ± SD lying time (LT) of 11.78 ± 1.47 h/d, a mean ± SD lying bout duration (LBD) of 0.51 ± 0.10 h/bout and a mean ± SD frequency of lying bouts (FLB) of 24.35 ± 5.57 were found. Lying behaviour follows a seasonal progression with significant lowest LBD and highest FLB in summer. With the old AFS significant differences in LBD and FLB were detected between horned and hornless goats, but with the new AFS results were adjusted. Findings suggest that changes in feeding management do not affect the general seasonal progression of lying behaviour but can affect the behavioural differences between horned and hornless dairy goats.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/8/2370dairy goatlying behaviourautomated feeding systemaccelerometer technology |
| spellingShingle | Ines Maurmann Bianca A. E. Greiner Stanislaus von Korn Maren Bernau Lying Behaviour in Dairy Goats: Effects of a New Automated Feeding System Assessed by Accelerometer Technology Animals dairy goat lying behaviour automated feeding system accelerometer technology |
| title | Lying Behaviour in Dairy Goats: Effects of a New Automated Feeding System Assessed by Accelerometer Technology |
| title_full | Lying Behaviour in Dairy Goats: Effects of a New Automated Feeding System Assessed by Accelerometer Technology |
| title_fullStr | Lying Behaviour in Dairy Goats: Effects of a New Automated Feeding System Assessed by Accelerometer Technology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lying Behaviour in Dairy Goats: Effects of a New Automated Feeding System Assessed by Accelerometer Technology |
| title_short | Lying Behaviour in Dairy Goats: Effects of a New Automated Feeding System Assessed by Accelerometer Technology |
| title_sort | lying behaviour in dairy goats effects of a new automated feeding system assessed by accelerometer technology |
| topic | dairy goat lying behaviour automated feeding system accelerometer technology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/8/2370 |
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